Photo: Geely
ZEEKR began its life in the most unusual way. Geely took the Lynk & Co Zero Concept and decided to turn it into a new car from a new brand in 2021. Since the beginning, the idea seemed to be selling it in Europe and the U.S. At least part of that plan now has a date to happen: Geely said sales in the Old Continent should start in 2023.
The first vehicle to be sold there is the 001, the first one to present Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), which is now in several other electric cars, such as the Lotus Eletre and the Radar RD6. ZEEKR has recently presented its first MPV, the 009, which also uses that electric platform.
Conghui An disclosed the plans in a roundtable with press members on November 1. According to Reuters, Geely's president and ZEEKR CEO did not mention exactly when sales will begin, who will sell the cars, what prices the company will charge for the 001, or if it will ever be produced in Europe. At first, it should only be exported from China.
Considering it does not come from a known brand, the 001 sold fairly well in China. Reuters said that ZEEKR sold 39,474 units of the liftback EV from January until September 2022. It also compared its sales with those of the Tesla Model Y in that country, but these vehicles only compete in price.
It would not be strange if the ZEEKR 001 for the European market would already arrive with the Qilin CTP 3.0 battery pack. CATL said that it would have a 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) range and would be sold in China in the second quarter of 2023. Although these numbers were probably obtained in CLTC (China light-duty vehicle test cycle), the WLTP figures should not be much different.
That would ensure ZEEKR had a blasting European premiere, even if it is not a widely known brand outside China – perhaps even in its local market. When the 001 arrives, it will not feel misplaced: Chinese car companies are invading Europe at a fast pace and are causing a good impression with customers and journalists.
Conghui An disclosed the plans in a roundtable with press members on November 1. According to Reuters, Geely's president and ZEEKR CEO did not mention exactly when sales will begin, who will sell the cars, what prices the company will charge for the 001, or if it will ever be produced in Europe. At first, it should only be exported from China.
Considering it does not come from a known brand, the 001 sold fairly well in China. Reuters said that ZEEKR sold 39,474 units of the liftback EV from January until September 2022. It also compared its sales with those of the Tesla Model Y in that country, but these vehicles only compete in price.
It would not be strange if the ZEEKR 001 for the European market would already arrive with the Qilin CTP 3.0 battery pack. CATL said that it would have a 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) range and would be sold in China in the second quarter of 2023. Although these numbers were probably obtained in CLTC (China light-duty vehicle test cycle), the WLTP figures should not be much different.
That would ensure ZEEKR had a blasting European premiere, even if it is not a widely known brand outside China – perhaps even in its local market. When the 001 arrives, it will not feel misplaced: Chinese car companies are invading Europe at a fast pace and are causing a good impression with customers and journalists.
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